Waterloo, IA Mobility & Curb Rules: Bike Lane Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Waterloo City Code § 6-2-7
- Default lane position
- Right side, with traffic flow
- Motorist overtaking distance
- More than 5 feet
- Sidewalk riding
- Barred in Central Business District
- Motor vehicles in bike lane
- Barred except listed exceptions
- Penalty basis
- Fine under § 6-2-13
Summary
Waterloo City Code section 6-2-7 tells cyclists and electric scooter riders to keep right on streets without a marked bike lane, sets rules for entering and leaving a bicycle lane, and bars most motor vehicles from driving in one. Sidewalk riding is banned downtown.
A. Street or Highway With No Marked Bicycle Lane: Any person operating a bicycle or electric scooter on a street or highway without a marked bicycle lane must ride with the flow of traffic on the right side thereof, except under any of the following situations: ... ... D. Bicycle Lane: ... 1. Any person operating a bicycle or electric scooter within a bicycle lane may move out of the lane unless prohibited by traffic control signs. ... ... 4. No person shall drive a motor vehicle in a bicycle lane established on a roadway except as follows: a. To park where parking is permitted. b. To enter or leave the roadway. c. To prepare for a turn within a safe distance from the intersection. d. To yield to an approaching emergency vehicle. E. Operation On Sidewalk: Bicycles or electric scooters may be operated upon the public sidewalks if done in a careful and prudent manner except where signs are erected that prohibit riding on the sidewalk or when riding on a sidewalk is prohibited by other laws or ordinances. Riding on a sidewalk in the Central Business District is prohibited.
Full Breakdown
Under Waterloo City Code section 6-2-7.A, a bicycle or electric scooter on a street or highway without a marked bicycle lane must ride with traffic on the right side, with listed exceptions for passing, preparing a left turn, avoiding hazards like parked cars, drain grates or debris, using an advanced stop line, or riding in a parade. Section 6-2-7.D governs marked bicycle lanes: a rider may leave the lane unless signs prohibit it, and riders may go against the flow in a lane designated for counter-flow bicycle traffic.
The same subsection bars motor vehicles from driving in a bicycle lane except to park where permitted, to enter or leave the roadway, to prepare for a turn within a safe distance of the intersection, or to yield to an approaching emergency vehicle. Section 6-2-7.E allows riding on public sidewalks generally if done carefully, except where signs prohibit it or other laws forbid it, but riding on a sidewalk in the Central Business District is flatly prohibited. Related section 6-2-12.B requires motorists overtaking a bicycle or scooter to keep more than five feet of separation, and 6-2-12.C bars steering unreasonably close to a rider.
Chapter violations, including obstructing or misusing a bike lane, are punished by a fine under section 6-2-13, and a parent or guardian is liable for a fine assessed against a rider under 18.
Violations & Fines
Driving a motor vehicle in a marked bicycle lane outside the listed exceptions, or riding a bicycle on a Central Business District sidewalk, violates section 6-2-7 and is punished by a fine under section 6-2-13; a parent or guardian is responsible for paying a fine incurred by a rider under 18.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can cars drive in Waterloo's bike lanes?
Where must cyclists ride if there is no bike lane in Waterloo?
Is sidewalk riding allowed in downtown Waterloo?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Waterloo
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